ok, we have a vulcan… what next???

just to be special, ive just looked at some old videos, and i have to say that i would love to have seen some of the prototype aircraft of the mid 60’s to 70’s, (most of which now reside at cosford) all of them were awesome aircraft 🙂 i told my grandfather yesterday that there are no whole stirlings known to still exist, his reaction was a mixture of horror and amazement, i then went on to explain that only very recently has the halifax been bought back to life, and i must say he looked totally dismayed 🙁

It’s too late for that Cees. My uncle passed away , and without him, I do not know the location. But it is in N wijk, not K wijk. Did you visit “the lake” while you were “over de grens”

GR R

Well, I am already happy with this Stirling exhibit in Holland. BW Roger

Me too Roger,

When are we going to have a look at the JU-52 at K-wijk?

Cees

Well, I am already happy with this Stirling exhibit in Holland. BW Roger

Well said Cees.
What about the almost full length rear fusealge to cenre section of Stirling that was found in france? That should go towards recreatiing a full fuselage using the cockpit section new build.

Peter,

Unfortunately not, the frames are hacked off at floorlevel so you would have to replace all the formers, which would mean building a new fuselage (or splice some new sections into the formers, but I am not a restorer). Same happened to the substantial Dutch Stirling fuselage section. These sections survived by chance not because they were earmarked for restoration in the future unfortunately:o
Giuseppe and Peter visted Vraux to see the sections some years ago. I saw the Dutch Stirling bits a few years ago and altough very impressive, not possible to use right away. But who knows what happens in a decade or two.

Cheers

Cees

Lindy – I have a feeling that the days of the Barracuda being extinct are decidely numbered .

Probably much to the chagrin of anyone who flew them…

Adrian

(by the way, I’d like to see the Double Mamba-engined Wyvern – imagine watching that lot starting up! Do I recall reading that a major reason for the Goofer’s Gallery on carriers being phased out was the sheer volume of shrapnel generated if a Wyvern clouted the deck?)

Fantasy Flying

Having never seen a TSR 2, then I say bring it on.
Non British variant would be the Caspian Sea Monster – ideal for Yorkshire this week.

I don’t know enough about them to be honest… I’d go for the one which was produced in bigger numbers and saw more use in service…. just so long as it looked better than that heap in the FAA museum. (Sorry FAA people, but it looks rubbish in bare metal and not very representative of the breed – however accurate to that aircraft it may be)

hehe, if we are talking wyverns here, would you agree that it would have to be the one they made with a rolls royce eagle engine, not the turboprop? 😀

cheeky sod.:D You should know by now that what I say and what I mean are two completely different things…….:eek:

i too would like to see a wyrven :p also, a wyvern would be nice too 😀

Also well said. There are two sides to every story. But think of it like this – a HUGE amount of money has gone into getting the delta wedge in the air, but maybe this is an investment for our industry as a whole. The more people who are inspired by 558, John Whaley’s Hunter, A N Other’s Spitfire, the better! These people will, in years to come form their own opinions of what is important and do something interesting.

The three types above inspired me when I was a kid, and so I joined the RAF to become part of the aircraft world. Since leaving I have been dragged back kicking and screaming to maintaining aircraft for a living and as a volunteer at the local museum. Added to this, I am a friend of the Guild of Aviation Artists, and as such paint the damn things when I’m not fixing them! I have evolved from looking at a spitfire/vulcan/hunter in awe, and found that compared to many other types, they can be quite boring. My interest in aviation has led me to be on the brink of forming a new company with the sole intention of bringing INTERESTING types back to life, maybe even flying… When 558 returns to the skies she will inspire the kids who see her, and one of these kids may, one day, decide to build a stirling in airworthy trim.

If you were to look back in 30 years time, and find that the sole reason you now have a flying stirling, was that the builder once saw a Vulcan and became hooked – would the money spent on 558 be worth it? I would like to think so.

(Oh, and another thing – a flying wyrven would be awesome…..)

stirling

Well said Cees.
What about the almost full length rear fusealge to cenre section of Stirling that was found in france? That should go towards recreatiing a full fuselage using the cockpit section new build.

Reading the various posts it’s obvious to see that the majority of so-called enthusiasts don’t know anything about historic aviation. If they only flock to see a Lancaster, a Hunter and a Vulcan at shows, but don’t know anything about Stirlings, Halifaxes, Swifts and Valiants/Victors then I might start to worry about the future.

It’s all about variety don’t you think? I never go to airshows again because of the same thing over and over again. I like Spits and Lancasters but without variety there is nothing to gain. Joe Public is of course the customer aimed at at shows but collections like the RAF Museum are there to show that not only the generally known aircraft were used. A vistitor would probably fall over backwards with astonishement when they see that a lot more aircraft were used. Only a small percentage of these will probably learn more about the other types to spark off an interest and find out more and perhaps be active in saving historic aircraft. Saving only Vulcans would be only too booooring. A waste of much needed funds to get the tin triangle into the air, which could have used to reconstruct a Stirling or any other important aircraft type. In a few years time the Vulcan will be grounded and then it’s just another static aircraft albeit in very good condtion but at what cost.

Just my two euro’s worth of course.
Cheers

Cees

? How much historical significance would you attach to the reproduction, non moving Stirling, rather than a living, breathing, shining example of Cold War heritage?
Flipflopman

With all due respect….

In terms of combat history, and the numbers of men who perrished in them, the Stirling deserves to be recognized.
As does the service of the Vulcan crews….but at least they have many static airframes that commerate their service (and let’s recall that even peacefime Cold War Ops were hazardous).

So instead of both camps (Stirling & Vulcan) having something phyiscal to recall their service, the Vulcan supporters will get to see a flying aircraft at airshows for a few years…while the Stirling crews have just photos.
Not quite fair…IMHO.

why? whats happening?… tell me tell me……:D where, who, and when is the roll out?….

Lindy – I have a feeling that the days of the Barracuda being extinct are decidely numbered .

I think maybe one of my near neighbours would like to see a Stirling again. He flew ops on them over Germany. Maybe other members of the public would appreciate seeing them as well. I doubt that everyone who visits Duxford , Hendon or indeed any other of the aircraft museums in the U.K is an aircraft enthusiast. It’s very difficult to actually define how many people would appreciate seeing something if there isn’t one at present to show them.
Luckily we do however have an increasing band of people working in sheds and garages to bring the extinct back to life or produce cockpits which
the general public can get close to. Adding to all this is the activity abroad such as the Halifax restoration and the recently discovered Skua. You could argue who needs to see a silent Halifax or indeed the unfortunate Skua.
However there are many who can stand and look at a Halifax and understand its purpose and the sacrifice made by the many crews flying them. Similarily
there is no real justification in recovering the Skua if we use the popularity stakes . The people of Norway however are justifiably proud of what the
British aircrew did to try and keep their country free . If a million pounds was spent recovering a Skua and maybe one veteran in his failing years was able to see and sit inside it that would be worth it to me.
Certainly many people will see the Vulcan when she is up and about. Her combat record of a few heroic missions adds to the mistique. Brushing aside the glamour dont’ forget the airworthy Hunters – Pembrokes – Chipmunks – Vampires – Venoms – Canberra’s and Shackleton which played their part in the Cold War and seem to live at the moment in her shadow.

Now a flying Skua would be worth seeing… possibly in a heritage formation with a barracuda….

I think maybe one of my near neighbours would like to see a Stirling again. He flew ops on them over Germany. Maybe other members of the public would appreciate seeing them as well. I doubt that everyone who visits Duxford , Hendon or indeed any other of the aircraft museums in the U.K is an aircraft enthusiast. It’s very difficult to actually define how many people would appreciate seeing something if there isn’t one at present to show them.
Luckily we do however have an increasing band of people working in sheds and garages to bring the extinct back to life or produce cockpits which
the general public can get close to. Adding to all this is the activity abroad such as the Halifax restoration and the recently discovered Skua. You could argue who needs to see a silent Halifax or indeed the unfortunate Skua.
However there are many who can stand and look at a Halifax and understand its purpose and the sacrifice made by the many crews flying them. Similarily
there is no real justification in recovering the Skua if we use the popularity stakes . The people of Norway however are justifiably proud of what the
British aircrew did to try and keep their country free . If a million pounds was spent recovering a Skua and maybe one veteran in his failing years was able to see and sit inside it that would be worth it to me.
Certainly many people will see the Vulcan when she is up and about. Her combat record of a few heroic missions adds to the mistique. Brushing aside the glamour dont’ forget the airworthy Hunters – Pembrokes – Chipmunks – Vampires – Venoms – Canberra’s and Shackleton which played their part in the Cold War and seem to live at the moment in her shadow.

True… just remembered an aircraft which I would like to see fly – there are a few static ones. Gloster Javelin…. There’s one at Leeming not doing much…:rolleyes: